Address—R. Rule
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1969, addressed by Ralph Rule.
Commence our meeting by singing together.
Hymn #42 in the Appendix 42 in the back of the book.
Savior, lead us by Thy power, save into the promised rest.
Choose the path away, Whatever seemeth seems to thee, O Lord, the best be our guide in every peril. Watch and keep us night and day, else our foolish hearts will wander from the street and narrow way. 42 in the appendix.
Save your legal.
Love.
Whatever.
Seems to be.
Not going on. We're going to get the dream.
We turn together to Second Timothy, the second chapter.
What I had before me especially is.
What we get in the third verse says, Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
I like to talk a little bit about a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
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But we might read a few other verses to begin with. Let's read the 1St.
5 verses of this chapter.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same, commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.
Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, no man that wore us and tangleth himself.
With the affairs of this life that he may please him.
Who have chosen him to be a soldier, and if a man strive also for masteries, yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully.
Well, as I mentioned, especially had the thought of.
One being a good soldier, I wonder how many the Lord would have as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.
We hear.
Of a certain number being called to be soldiers over in Vietnam.
I heard somewhere approximately how many they was to be called one of the last few months.
A specific number was given.
Well, the apostle here is referring not to that type of warfare.
Not a soldier of the United States Army, but a soldier of Jesus Christ.
How many soldiers do you suppose he would have enlisted, as it were, to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ?
Well, my own thought is I've never heard this expressed. My own thought is that everyone that's a Christian.
Everyone that belongs to Christ, I think the Lord would have as a soldier. There's less than one for far less than 1% of the United States citizens that are soldiers in Vietnam or are soldiers of the United States at this time. But I do believe that the Lord would have every true believer to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Well, you might say, but here he's writing to Timothy. What makes you think he would have everyone to be a good soldier?
Every Christian, that is. You can't be a soldier of Jesus Christ if you're not a Christian. And if there are any in this room this afternoon that don't yet know the Lord is their savior. Oh, May God give you to feel your need and to trust in him as your savior. If you don't know him as your savior, you're a slave of the devil.
But the Lord.
Delights to have all come to him and to trust in him, to believe on him and everyone that believes in him learn is that they're saved, their sins are forgiven, they're one of God's children, and it's their privilege then to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Well, as I said, you might say, well, this is addressed to one man, Timothy. That's right. But if we were to turn to the Epistle of the Ephesians.
We won't take the time, but if we were, we would find Ephesians wasn't addressed to an individual at all. We have truth in Ephesians. That's for all of the Lord's people.
In the book of Ephesians we have his own scene is blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
And in the end of the Ephesians we have instructions. It says therefore in the end of Ephesians, rather in the last chapter of Ephesians.
Put on therefore the whole armor of God.
That you may be able to stand in an evil day. It's a soldier that has to have an armor on, and we get quite a bit as to the armor there and we get something there. Still a warfare that the Christian has. It says we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against wicked, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.
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And against wicked spirits in high places are in heavenly places.
Yes, our warfare is, as it says there, not against flesh and blood. It isn't talking about any battles, such as in Vietnam.
But against.
Wicked spirits in heavenly places against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Satan has his emissaries that are affecting what's going on in this world. They're the rulers of the darkness of this world. Wicked spirits.
And there what's behind what we see happening in the world today. Our brother. When he closed the brother that closed the meeting this morning, I noticed in his prayer he made reference to what we have in the next chapter of Timothy. He referred to the fact that we're living in the last days. Notice the third chapter, Our Bibles are open to it. Second Timothy 3. This though also in the last days.
Perilous times shall come, and our brother, when he quoted it after quoting it the way it is here, he says, are difficult times.
That's what a more accurate translation has, I believe. Really, the most accurate translation is just that list low in the last days. Difficult times shall come. When it was written they weren't here, those difficult days. They were future dear friends. They're here now. I feel sure you and I, we're living in the last days. I even feel like saying I think we're living in the very last days.
The difficult times, the difficult days are here.
Take the next verse. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on the negative side, but take the next verse and just think. As we read this verse, think of what's going on today, the unrest in this country, the things, the turmoil that you see on the college campuses and sad to say, it's beginning even in the high schools now. The unrest, the turmoil we mentioned in Ephesians 6, the wrestling against the rulers of the darkness of this world.
This world is going on in darkness, and it's referring there to the wicked spirit Satan's emissaries he's behind. What's going on here? And what do we find developing all around us in these days? The last days. Notice that second verse. Men should be lovers of their own selves.
Covetous boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, and so forth, and ending up in verse 5 having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away. Well, take the what you have in that second verse, correlate it to what's going on around us, and isn't there a very direct and full correlation?
Men should be lovers of their own selves. How we see these groups rising up? I could mention some of the but I'm not going to some of the groups. But you find they want to take things in their own hand and do things their own way, what they want.
We see them well. Covetous boasters, proud blasphemers.
But blasphemy you find from the lips of some disobedient to parents, That's the start of the disobedience, perhaps. But the disobedience that starts at home, we find out has to do, even in connection with, in a broader sense, the powers that be in the 13th chapter of Romans. It tells us. I'm going to read a verse or two there, just in case. If I tried to quote it, I might make a little slip.
Let every soul.
Be subject under the higher powers.
For there is no power but of God, the powers that be ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Notice what it says there. There is no power but of God. The powers of fear are ordained of God, and it says, those that resist to receive to themselves damnation.
What is it that's making this turmoil on the college campuses? Why, It's resisting those in authority, the powers that be. It's rising up and wanting to do one's own way. And we're going to we're going to have things our own way. I was coming here on the plane the other day and across from me in the aisle. I think one seat further ahead here with somebody reading a newspaper and and big headlines on the top. It said something about generation Gap. I forget the next words.
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Whether it's getting too big or greatly increasing, anyway, there was a reference to the generation gap. What's the generation gap they're referring to?
Why we're living in a day, a generation is coming up that it says. And we mentioned Ephesians 6, the rulers of the darkness of this world.
Satan has his emissaries that are coming in and stirring up these things. The word of God says the fullest senator. The fool has said in his heart, no God. And those that are behind all this, no God. We're going to set things right. We don't want the Bible in the schools anymore. No more prayer in school. God's word is being set aside in this last generation that's been seen in a special way. What's the generation gap?
God being set aside, no God.
We're going to do things our way.
Well.
Here it says disobedient to parents, but it's gone further. Maybe it started there, this disobedience, but now there's no regard for law and order. But God says the powers that be are ordained of God and those that Satan has coming in and just causing this turmoil and trying to push everything aside. We're going to do things our way. Oh my friend, the rulers of the darkness of this world.
That's what we fight against. The enemy has come in. He would set aside everything that's according to the word of God. It goes on to say here after disobedient to parents, unthankful. My how many there were when I was a youngster that would have loved to have had the chance to go to college. Their parents couldn't afford it. They would have liked to. And but today we find that the government itself has provided in various ways for many.
To get this higher education, are they thankful? Why you find them going in and tearing down the administration buildings and various things burning up the files?
Oh dear friend, dear friend, I tell you we're in the very last days.
And I know there are many of those who are of a generation ahead of the younger generation, those that are a little older. I know there are many that are surprised to see that the Lord has left us here this long. We're in the very last days and we need to be encouraged. Do we need to be encouraged in the path that the Lord had for us, has for us in these last days, these difficult days?
Now I'd like to look at a few scriptures in connection with.
As I said, my main thought was that a good soldier of Jesus Christ, Oh my God, through his word and courage and help each one of us here, and especially the dear young people, since 1:00 is supposed to be addressing primarily young people, I encourage you to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
What are the characteristics of a soldier? Well, there are a lot of characteristics.
And I might just mention a few of them, but I know I won't get the mall.
And in various places in the word we have different ones brought out here. Here in our here in our chapter, the several of the characteristics are mentioned. First of all, as it says, he has to endure hardness. Another translation for that is.
Take thy share in suffering. As a good soldier of Jesus Christ yesterday there was a little discussion. We spoke a little about suffering.
Oh yes. You and I may have to suffer a little down here, but we'll never regret it up there. We'll be thankful for any measure in which the Lord has given us the grace.
To and in some little measure to suffer with him, or in his interest. And so here he says, The good saw thou therefore endure hardness, or take thy share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
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And then so that's one thing he has to endure some suffering or hardness.
Secondly, no man that warth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Oh, you know, it's a little easy to get too entangled with things down here.
There's one look backs over his own life. There has been a measure of exercise to keep from being too entangled.
But I'm afraid that there were times where one allowed oneself to get just too a little too involved with things down here.
Oh, may the Lord help us to remember that we are not of this world, he says. You're not of this world, even as I am not of this world.
We're citizens of heaven. Our citizenship is up there. And may we remember that? Keep it in mind, because Satan would seek to get us entangled with the affairs of this life. Too entangled.
Oh, but the Lord. He encourages Timothy to be a good soldier.
In order that he might please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Who are you trying to please yourself?
Are you trying to please him? That is chosen you to be a soldier. That's a searching question, isn't it?
Can you honestly say dear young friend?
Can you honestly say?
That your desire is to do what is God's will for you? Oh, I hope so, because that's the happy path. That is the happy path. Do you want to be a happy Christian? Then seek to please the Lord. Seek to be one that's truly following him.
Like Caleb of old, one who wholly followed the Lord. Well, I ask you again, very searching question. Who are you trying to please yourself or trying to please him? Who has chosen you to be a soldier?
Well, there are a lot of other things that in connection with a soldier.
He has to have. He has to be prepared for battle. He needs a uniform has to have on. In Ephesians 6, we've already mentioned that says they're put on the whole armor of God, that he might be able to withstand the Wiles of the devil. We have a wily foe.
His power was annulled at Calvary.
The Lord annulled him that had the power of death, but his Wiles. He still is a wily foe, and it's only as we're looking to him depending on him that we can be kept as we journey through this scene.
Well, I would ask you.
Do you have on the armor? I can't take the time this afternoon to go into all phases of the armor, but.
Meditate on what you get in Ephesians 6 someday, the various aspects of the armor. Later on connection with other soldiers, I might refer to parts of that armor, but.
One needs to have an beyond the armor to be a good soldier, and in Speaking of a good soldier.
The Lord has given us many examples. Do you think the Apostle Paul was a good soldier of Jesus Christ?
He's writing to another. You know, it's a great thing when we're speaking to others to be able to speak as something that's.
That we've been consistent in ourselves. That's what makes it a little hard for one to speak sometimes, because he realizes how one often realizes a measure in which there's been failure. But I think in connection with the Apostle Paul, he was one that was a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Let's go back to the 20th of Acts and look at one verse and then a verse in connection with what we have here in writing to Timothy, and I believe it's Acts 20.
Yes.
It was the 24th verse that I had in mind.
But before reading I might mention that.
He's speaking to those that came down to my leaders from Ephesus, and he tells them in the 22nd verse how he was going bound in spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that should be fallen there. And then the end of the 23rd verse, he he says it mentions how the Holy Ghost has witnessed saying bonds and affliction abide me. In other words, he knew that there were real trials ahead, bonds and afflictions, and he went through a lot of afflictions.
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But notice the next verse I had in mind. None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself.
Now it's the next clause, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, and so forth. But that clause me are those two clauses. Neither account I my life dear unto myself that I may finish my course with joy. He wasn't thinking in terms of his life here. He was looking for the end of the journey, that which will be abiding, that which will.
Be for eternity, but I may finish my course with joy. Oh, I believe the apostle is going to be able to look back on a life some afflictions. But I believe he's one who finished his course with joy.
Well, dear young friends, would you like to finish your course with joy? Well, you know, you can have joy all along the way, and and finish it with joy too, you might say. Well, now what assurance do I have of that? Well, our brother.
Our brother.
Yesterday afternoon mentioned that in a book of Philippians. It's a book that we have joy and a book of joy. And that's right, you know, in the book of Philippians. And by the way the apostle wrote that when he was in bonds at the time he wrote it, it was written later than what we have in the time of Acts 20. He was in bonds when he wrote it. You have joy and rejoicing, I believe 16 times in the book of Philippians and only four chapters.
You get one or the other words in each of the four chapters 16 times. And in the last chapter he says rejoice in the Lord Alway. And again I say rejoice. Do you want to be a happy Christian? Do you want joy in your life and joy at the end of the journey? I'm sure you do. Well, there's only one way to have that, and that's to be a soldier that's seeking to please him, that's chosen you to be a soldier.
Are you seeking to please him? Are you in the path that he'd mark out for you? That's the way you can have joy in your life and joy at the end. Now notice, Speaking of the end, back to Second Timothy and what he says to Timothy in the last chapter of Second Timothy.
Seventh verse.
Well, six verse 2.
In Acts 20, he said that I may finish my course with joy. Well, the six verse shows that he know he was at the end of the course, he says. Now I'm ready to be offered. The time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight that shows he was a soldier of Jesus Christ. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.
And so forth.
Well, here's one. He said, as we had in Acts 20, that he might finish his course with joy. Now, at the end of the journey, says I finished my course. I have kept the faith.
Friend, what kind of a course are you on?
Are you walking by faith or are you walking by sight?
One or the other.
Well, he said I fought a good fight. He wasn't boasting. I think he was just saying this is an encouragement to Timothy because he was able to speak to Timothy of a crown.
Oh, you know, one of the things connected with a soldier is if he's an outstanding soldier, he looks for a reward for that which is done a reward of value of valor. Some, you know, have medals put on them when they come home because of some outstanding achievement.
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Well, the Apostle Paul was one that.
Brought in in connection with Timothy the thought of reward. I'm going back. Not only the referring to the crown here, but back in the we'll go back to the previous chapter. But the point with him was he finished his course. He wanted to end it with joy. And Oh dear young Christian, may the Lord help you and me that we might end our course with joy and not be like that one that another brother spoke of yesterday and one of the reading meetings.
He told about one that got away from the Lord, got away from the Lord's table.
Years later some of his brethren came in contact with him when he was real sick and he told them, he said, don't pray for me to get better. I failed and and I and the Lord's going to Take Me Home. Well, that one didn't have an abundant entrance into the heavenly Kingdom, did he as we read in Peter. Oh, you know how nice it is, as another said, that we and in figure at least might like be the bolt that comes in with wholesale.
Abundant entrance. The Apostle Paul had an abundant entrance, as it were. He finished his course with joy.
Are you on that course where if you go on, you might finish it with joy? Oh, if you are, may the Lord encourage you to keep on, keep on. But if you're not, May God stir you up to realize.
May there be that which would exercise you to realize that perhaps you're not walking in the separation that there should be. You know, we mentioned that a good soldier entangles them. Not with this. With the affairs of this life, have you gotten involved in things that you have a bad conscience about? If you have, then you don't have on the breastplate of righteousness. That's one of the pieces of the armor that we get in Ephesians 6 Breastplate of Righteousness.
All that would speak of one's walk being such the brother's absolute uprightness.
And a good conscience before God. He's walking in righteousness well.
If you're on the right course. If you're not on the right course and there's something come in between you and your the Lord, and you don't have a good conscience, May God give you to judge it, have done with it. Get into His presence today and ask the Lord to help you to be on, to seek to now be found going on in a path where you'll be characterized as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
But those that are already that are honestly seeking to please the Lord we had in that verse. There it said that he might please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. Back to the second chapter. Well, if you're seeking to please him, dear young friend, don't be discouraged.
Satan will try to bring problems in. There isn't any question about it. But what you need to keep in mind is the Apostle Paul's word to Timothy in the third chapter and the 14th verse. Notice 2-2 words in in the third chapter, second Timothy in the 14th verse.
Continue thou.
Or are the things that Satan are bringing in? Perhaps you, like Timothy, have been raised in a Christian home. You've had the privilege of having the truth of God brought before you. But now, as you get a little closer to the time where you're going to be on your own, Satan may be tempting you to a little broader path. All the apostle Paul here says chapter 3, verse 14.
Continue thou.
Oh, dear young friend, continue thou in the things that thou hast learned, and it's been assured of.
Says knowing of whom thus learned them. For child, thou hast known the Holy Scriptures. Oh, what a privilege if you've been raised in a Christian home and had the Scriptures brought before you. But don't treat lightly what's been brought before you. Continue, though, in the things that thou has learned.
Satan is going to seek to snare you. He's going to seek to encourage you to give up. In a measure, he's going to the Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy. In that connection, notice what he says in the first chapter, Second Timothy.
This last third chapter tells us what he had learned from a very child from the Holy Scriptures. Notice the first chapter.
13th verse.
Hold fast, the former, better rendering I think is outlined.
00:35:02
Hold fast the outline of sound words that does received of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed unto thee, Keep by the power of the keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in US. What is the good thing referred to here? Is it a $5,000,000 bank account?
It's the word of God, the Scriptures.
$5,000,000 bank account be nothing but a snare.
That good thing. Hold fast the outline of sound words. Thank God for each one that has the privilege.
Of having this had this outline of sound words in their youth, dear young Christian, hold it fast. That good thing that's committed unto thee, Keep.
Keep. Hold on to it. Hold fast, he says.
Reminds me of an illustration that our dear brother Eric Smith gave some time ago.
It made quite an impression on me. I know he'd like to be here right now, but his wife has been had surgery and and so he I didn't feel he could leave her. But I remember this illustration he gave. He spent many years down in Bolivia.
And he labored amongst part of the time amongst the Ki Chua Indians.
And.
He told this story about being up in the Red River Belt Tribe area. That's where the Red River Belt Tribe of the.
Of the.
In Bolivia where these Indians were and he said that why he he he he heard the story of of how the head of a certain.
Area of this the head of this tribe rather he had the responsibility of collecting the taxes for that all from that tribe in that area.
And after the taxes were collected, he gave the money to a trusted assistant and put it in a big bag.
And told and held him responsible for taking that bag of money to the capital of the province. I think it's nor teaches was the province, I believe nor teaches Bolivia. Well. This man started on the journey with a bag of money in his hand.
There is a big rain the night before he got to a certain river. I forget the name of the river.
But terrific storm and down there, they don't have paved highways in most places like we have here in this country.
And some of the roads just go through the riverbed well. But this storm had brought the river up much higher than normal.
And this man holding this bag of money, he came to this.
To this riverbed and he thought that he he figured that he probably could just get across It was he didn't think it was quite as deep as it was. It was deeper than he thought and as he got out in the center and he where the water was the deepest.
It just went down a little bit and he stepped down, not realizing it was over his head.
And he couldn't swim because he that is not if he held out of the bag of money. And and the car the current was strong and it just it was so strong it swept him off his feet. He drowned and it was so strong he was found down the river. 2 miles down the river they found him and when they came upon him here he was with both hands hanging onto that bag.
Brother Smith used that in connection with this 13th and 14th verse. The first chapter hold fast the form of sound words which thou has heard. Verse 14, that good thing that's committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in US dear young friends.
This is worth millions more, millions of times that bag of money. What's that bag of money? But that was a faithful steward. He hung on to that. He kept it at the expense of his life. But you have far more reason to keep the good thing, this treasure that's committed unto you, that Satan is seeking to brush out from under our feet. I encourage you, I urge you, keep it. That good thing is committed under the keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in you.
00:40:03
Well, that was his advice to Timothy Timothy, one that was his son in the faith.
And we have others in scripture that were willing to take a stand. And the Lord, you and I, we have to hold fast, as it were. We were Speaking of standing in connection with Ephesians 6 that I'd already mentioned. Just like to call your attention my turn to it.
The emphasis that there is on standing in Ephesians 6.
And the 10th, 1St. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might put on the whole armor of God, that he may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. Oh, Satan would have you get discouraged and go back a little bit, but you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. In the next verse he speaks of taking on the whole armor of God, that he may be able to behave, that he may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.
Stand Therefore there you have stand three times in just.
4 verses stand. Therefore having your loins gird about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness. Well, dear friend, God would encourage you and me to hold fast and to stand not to give ground to our end to the enemy. Would you like to see another soldier that we get who stood?
Turn to Second Samuel 23.
Second Samuel 23.
11 first.
It speaks of Shama, the son of Aggie the heroite.
Second Samuel 2311, and of Sam. It says the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where was a piece of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.
Notice the next verse. But he stood.
In the midst of the ground, and defended it, and flew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great victory.
He wasn't fighting against one man, he was fighting against this big group of Philistines. They were all gathered together into a troop.
Oh, you might say he. You'd think he'd get discouraged and run awful fast, You and I, we might get discouraged when we look around us and see the way the truth is being given up here and there. But God encourages us to stand. He told Timothy, to hold that fast which thou hath.
And then, as we saw in Ephesians 6, stand therefore. Well, that's what Tama did. He stood in the midst of the Philistines and defended it. Pardon me, He stood in the midst of the ground and defended it, and slew the Philistines. What was on the ground that he defended? It was lentils. Those lentils, no doubt, were something to be used as food for the people of God.
And this is the book. Here's why we have food for God's people. Let's seek to stand on the word of God. He stood and defended it. You know, he's one that had on the breastplate of righteousness, no doubt, because we find that he was bold. And you know, it's only we can only be bold and stand out for the Lord when we have a good conscience. There's a verse in Proverbs that bears that out.
It's it's goes the first verse of Proverbs 28 something like this.
The wicked man flee us when no man cometh, but the righteous is bold as a lion.
Oh, you know.
If we have a good conscience and there's uprightness in our life, then we can be bold in the face of the enemy. That is, if we're trusting in the Lord. It's only in his strength. He had that in Ephesians 6. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. But we find here Shamel was bold.
And it says.
It says the righteous as bold as a lion may the Lord. If there's I say again, anything in your life that's not pleasing to the Lord, May God give you to judge it in order that you might be numbered among the righteous, speaking in a practical way, that there might be uprightness in your life. Then you'll be one of those that has on the breastplate of righteousness.
00:45:14
Well, going back to Timothy.
In the in the.
End of the first chapter and the 12Th verse. He encourages him.
Pardon me, the end of the first epistle, the 12Th verse of the Second Timothy 6, verse 12.
He says to Timothy. Fight the good fight of faith. Oh dear friend, and especially dear young Christians.
May the Lord encourage you to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
May you have the desire to finish your course with joy.
May the Lord encourage you to fight the good fight of faith. Don't be discouraged by the increasing problems at school or at work or wherever. Those that close you come in contact with may encourage you to press on.
And remember, God is taking note of all that's done for Him.
Last night I was wondering what might be a nice portion to bring before the young people and after the gospel. I opened my Bible and and was glancing at this chapter in Timothy for a few minutes and I noticed something I'd never really consciously thought about before.
And the verses we read, you'll notice verse 5.
The sentence starts with an end, even though the previous sentence ends with a period.
That's very unusual.
And I looked up another translation to see if it was the same way there, and it was.
Period at the end of verse four and then starting verse 5. And even though it's an entirely new sentence and I thought about it a little bit and this thought came to mind, I hope it's the right thought. There's a connection, I believe.
Between the fourth verse and the fifth verse.
In this sense.
Another rendering of the fifth verse at the start is.
And if also anyone contend in the games.
He's not crowned except he strive lawfully. So you have both and and also.
I believe the main connection is this. We're the ones a soldier. He has to contend he has a warfare.
But if one is striving in the Games, it's an athlete. Here in the fifth verse. He has to contend too. It takes energy. Takes energy. An athlete has to put everything into it. And so it says, if he contend.
For the Master Easter in the game.
And then the word also comes in. I believe the connection is twofold between the between the soldier and the athlete 1.
All there has to be that contending effort, striving.
But whether it's the soldier or the athlete, there's a reward coming. God is taking note of everything you do for him.
We should be contending not that our object or our motives should be to get the crown to be crowned, it says. Yet is he not crowned?
No, our object should be to please the Lord, it says in the, in the.
Fourth verse, that he might please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. That should be my motive. It might be Christ in glory seeking to please him.
The Apostle Paul himself could say we get it in Philippians 3. This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, I press toward the mark for the goal of the calling of God on high in Christ Jesus. His desire was that he said that I might win him.
Be found in him. He wanted to know him better to be with him. All was the goal, Christ in glory. But God brings in the fact that if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him That comes in, in verse. In verse 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign. Yes, there's a crown. The glory is before us. The God of all grace has called the Son of his eternal glory. Oh, what a prospect.
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What a wonderful time ahead. Well, now the Lord would have you and me contending as it were. Oh, he says.
For that's the other word For strive. Contend, Yes, yes. God is going to take note of everything you and I have done for Him. And if there's a little crown in that day, it'll be our privilege to cast it at His feet as we get In Revelation 4, we found them casting their crowns at His feet.
Oh, May God encourage you and me to be found pressing on, pressing on, seeking to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and will never regret it if we do. And you know, it's only for a little while in Revelation, the third chapter in the address to those of Philadelphia.
The the one of the verses that we have is this.
The Lord says, Behold, I come quickly.
Hold that fast which thou hast, that No man take thy crown there We get it again. Hold it fast that thou hast that No man take thy crown. Dear young friend, don't give up. Don't be discouraged.
By the grace of God, you've had the chance of having the truth of God brought before you.
Hold it fast and don't think in terms of being updated into the present generation line of thinking. You know we don't have any generation gap in the word of God. Going back to that headline I saw in the paper that the person in the airplane had the other day. No generation gap brought before us here. Just look at flipping second Timothy 2 and notice.
Second Timothy 2 and verse verse 2. The things that thou hast heard of me.
Among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men.
Oh, it isn't that these faithful men, they were to have some new line of thought be updated a little bit. The things that thus heard of me the same commit out of faithful men, and they were to commit it to others down the line, as it were in the next generation, it says. It goes on to say that who shall be able to teach others also.
No God. The word of God doesn't call for any generation gap. His word hasn't changed.
And what you have got by the grace of God from Christian parents.
Hold that fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown back to Revelation 3. May the Lord encourage you and me to be found holding fast.
Now we mentioned Shama. He defended what he already had. But I believe the one of David's chief men before that that we have where we have one who not only stood and defended what he had, but he sought to go forward.
And to conquer the enemy, we might just look at that one too. I'm referring now to Second Samuel 23 again.
The ninth verse. Here's another soldier, one that was a good soldier.
Says after him was Eliezer, Second Samuel 23. Nine. After him was Eliezer the son of Dodo the Ahoy, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.
Why the men of Israel gone away? They got discouraged.
You know, I had thought, but I see it won't have the time to get to it now. I thought to look at what we have in First Samuel 13 in connection with Jonathan and his armor bearer. We find in that chapter and if you want to look it up at home and meditate on it, we find in that chapter how in a day of discouragement we find that many had gone into the into the dens and the caves and they went into hiding. They were discouraged and they were afraid to go on and.
The men of Israel, they had no sword and spear. In those days we find that the we find that the enemy helped them in other ways. Satan will help the Christian in this world. He'll help them to get on in a business way and and things that have to do with the ongoing of this poor scene. But they had no sword the spear in those days except Saul and Jonathan and we find in connection with them.
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You know the sphere, The Ephesians 6 says, taking the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. The Spirit would speak of the sword or the word of God. Well, I had no sword and spear. No. The enemy was afraid to let them have that because they might use it against them. Just two that had it. Saul was one and we find. But Saul on the other hand is like those who maybe have a head knowledge of the word. He didn't use it, but Jonathan did.
And we find that Jonathan with his armor bear how the Lord used them.
To overcome the enemy in a remarkable way. But the others, they were in the caves and so forth until Jonathan went forward and conquered. Then we find them coming out of the caves and getting the prominence and being with those as though they were the ones that got the victory, including Saul among them. Well, I only mentioned. I only mentioned that because of what we have here in our chapter. It says the men of Israel were gone away. Verse 9 probably discouraged.
Have some of your Christian companions got discouraged and left the path? Well, dear friend, don't be discouraged.
I was so pleased to hear at lunch today at the lunch table I asked a brother told me that some of the dear young people here they have a they get together I think once a night, once a week in the evening a little time together. Just the young people over the word. They seem to have a desire to go on together. Oh how thankful you can be if there's several young people that have a desire to be a help one to another. Workers together as we read in the in the in the.
In in the scripture here. Well.
Here was poor Eliezer, all alone. It says the men of Israel were gone away. But here was one who was ready to fight the good fight of faith. It says, verse 10 He arose, and verse 10 a second Samuel 23 He arose and smoked the Philistines till his hand was weary, and his hand clave under the sword. Yes, the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.
His For you and me his hand clave unto the sword, and the Lord wrought a great victory. Oh, dear friend, cleave to the sword of the Spirit the word of God. And may the Lord encourage you to be ready to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Stand fast, Fight the good fight of faith. Hold that fast which I have that no man which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Oh, I just say, in closing, may the Lord encourage everyone of us to seek in a fuller measure, a good soldier of Jesus Christ, he says, Behold, I come quickly, He's coming soon. Won't be long. You won't have very long to seek to be a soldier, but may the Lord encourage it a little while it's left. Shall we pray?